ABOUT US

OUR STORY

The Mad Potter Paint-your-own-Pottery Studio was founded in April 1998, with its first studio in the River Oaks Shopping center on West Gray. It was opened with the intention of not only catering to the families and schools in the area, but also to the corporate businesses of downtown. By adding the sales of Wine and Beer to the paint-your-own-pottery concept, The Mad Potter now appealed to adults, as well as children. The combo proved to be an instant hit. In the initial fledgling year, every one of Houston’s major law firms had booked a recruiting event for their summer associates. By the fall of 1999, Mad Potter “West” was opened on Woodway/Voss. Miss McCord followed this up in 2002 with another location in the Meyerland/Bellaire area.

The Mad Potter’s mission is to provide a fun and creative place for families, friends and co-workers of all artistic levels to come and paint pottery. In order for our customers to achieve our overall goal for them, both great memories and masterpieces, we strive to provide the best customer service through offering a vast selection of wonderful pottery pieces, design tools and idea images. We also offer amazing artistic consulting, whether it is for a single individual, an exciting and joy-filled birthday party of 20, or a team building corporate party of 90, our aim is to make sure everyone leaves with a smile on their face proud of what they have accomplished and filled with the enduring memories of creating their masterpiece.

OUR TEAM

Each Mad Potter is run by a highly talented studio manager. Please do not hesitate to contact them with questions. They are excellent at party planning, taking custom artwork orders, designing benches, brainstorming projects for auctions and special occasions and planning off-site painting events.

MEET OUR OWNER

Meredith McCord is a native Houstonian who left her corporate real estate development job in search of greener pastures in a more creative field. She studied business and art at Vanderbilt University, yet realized she is most fulfilled by watching others tap into their own artistic abilities to create masterpieces which they are truly proud of. One of her favorite comments she often hears as customers pick-up their pieces and see their work for the very first time since being glazed and fired is, “Wow! I did that???” All said with looks of awe, amazement and pride beaming across their faces.

Having grown up battling dyslexia, Meredith used art as a tool to communication and still today sees the value of art therapy, no matter the age or level of artistic talent. “I love what I do,” says McCord. “There’s an inherent joy that comes when people enable your business and you to share in their everyday lives. I’ve had the opportunity to celebrate birthdays from 1 to 100, host parties where four generations have gathered to paint, assisted a child as she painted an urn for the family dog that had just passed, and consulted with a young man on his “Will you marry me?” dessert plate,” continues McCord. “I have visited hospitals to footprint newborns in their first hours of life, and have even shed tears with those who lost loved ones when they invited us to come to the funeral so their friends and families could paint tiles to remember them by. Whether celebrating a new life, another year, or a new chapter, or honoring live that have ended, I feel privileged to be able to have been a small part of it,” say McCord.

Miss McCord shares the same intensity of passion with her fly fishing and missionary endeavors. An accomplished entrepreneur, fiercely-competitive triathlete, Humanitarian Aid Leader, and an angler since the age of 3, Meredith embraces life and throws herself completely into every quest. She was named the Top Female Angler of 2015, as well as awarded her Most “Catch and Release” Records, Top Female on Freshwater Fly and Heaviest Saltwater Record on Fly in 2015 by the IFGA. To keep in fishing shape, Meredith spends her time training for and competing in triathlons throughout the Houston and Austin area.

Meredith is passionate about many things on this earth, but her biggest love is for the Creator of it all. As busy as The Mad Potter keeps her, Meredith makes a point of setting aside time for another calling: Spreading God’s light and love to orphans in Russia, Africa, and Central America. For the past thirteen years, Meredith has worked with orphans in St. Petersburg, Russia. Having started with them as young children, she and her family continue to return every year to see the same “young adults” and encourage them in their careers and educational pursuits. For the last 6 years she has also led teams to South Africa and Zambia to minister to children orphaned and affected by the HIV pandemic. Meredith has partnered numerous times with Living Water International to drill clean water wells in the rural villages of El Salvador while teaching health, hygiene and the gospel to women and children. Meredith gives thanks for all her amazing staff and customers for providing her the time and ability to go and serve those in need.